Meghan Markle has hit another obstacle in her efforts to establish her American Riviera Orchard brand.
Recently, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) rejected her latest trademark application due to issues with the brand’s logo. The USPTO highlighted that the description of the letter “O” in the logo does not align with its stylized representation. The letter “O” has become highly stylized to the point where it is no longer easily recognizable as a letter, and the description provided was deemed incomplete because it did not accurately detail all the elements of the mark.
Prior to this new challenge, Markle had already faced a hurdle when the USPTO denied her initial application on the grounds that geographic locations cannot be trademarked. This meant that the term “American Riviera,” referring to the region where Markle and her husband, Prince Harry, have settled in Montecito, California, was not permissible for trademarking.
In response to the USPTO’s feedback, the office suggested a revised description for the logo, recommending that it be described as “a double-lined octagon enclosing the stylized and overlapping letters ‘AR’ with decorative and looping lines. The latter ‘A’ contains a stylized flower at the top of the letter.” This suggestion aims to more accurately represent the logo as it is designed.
As a result of these setbacks, Markle’s team is reportedly scrambling to find alternative solutions. They are even considering a complete rebranding, similar to Kim Kardashian’s decision to rename her shapewear brand from Kimono to Skims after facing similar issues. An insider revealed that the team is actively exploring backup options and acknowledges that while changing the brand name at this stage would be costly due to existing branding efforts, it is not an insurmountable problem.
Markle initially launched the American Riviera Orchard brand in March, announcing plans to offer a range of products including edible treats such as jams, jellies, and spreads, as well as tableware items like cutlery, linens, and drinkware. The brand’s first product, rustic jars of fresh jam, was teased in April.
Despite the challenges, Markle’s team remains determined to move forward and address the issues to ensure the successful launch of the brand.
